Little green balls

Your tongue might hate it, but your colon loves the Brussels sprout.

On any normal day, the very mention of sprouts — the Brussels variety — in a meal is bound to make you cringe. But this is the festive season, and no turkey or ham is complete without it on the side. Before you gingerly pick out the Brussels sprout and toss it out, give it a second chance.

The Brussels sprout is an acquired taste; even the Belgians would attest to that. They are associated with it simply because it is said the ancient Romans decided to grow it there because of the favourable climate. Its sometimes pungent flavour is most in demand at this time of the year. In the UK 80 million Brussels sprout will be consumed in a week.

It belongs to the cabbage family, and for its size comes packed with quite a punch in terms of nutrition. If prepared badly, you could turn it bitter or soggy, but when just right it delivers good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fibre. Needless to add, it is zero on the fatty stuff. The more recently discovered benefit is protection against colon cancer.

The Brussels sprout has been noted by Dutch researchers to contain large quantities of a chemical called 3,3’-Diindolylmethane, which is said to have anti-cancer properties. The chemical is said to enhance the activity of the body’s natural defence systems at the level of the DNA. It is done by boosting detoxification enzymes, potentially by altering gene expression, thus helping to clear potentially carcinogenic substances more quickly. The Dutch incidentally rate the vegetable as their favourite.

For those on a diet, the Brussels sprout is unique, as it is said to be rather high on protein. Thus you can can skip a higher-calorie source of protein. A cup of Brussels sprout gives you about 50 calories and comes with a healthy load of fibre, which is important as it fills you up without eating too much.

All that fibre though doesn’t come without a price. There is a minor inconvenience of the Brussels sprout promoting flatulence. Rather than overdosing on sweet and starchy foods, how about overdosing instead on Brussels sprout for a change, which at least will do you good in the long run.